Flames With Fire
by astral flower
Summary: She was lost in a world full of death. But he had been there, and he wasn't going anywhere. Bethyl.
1. One Last Night

FLAMES WITH FIRE

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CHAPTER ONE: ONE LAST NIGHT

The glowing embers leaped and twirled in a fiery dance, like fireflies flying in the twilight hours beckoning potential mates or prey into their grasp. The air was thick with smoke, with all inhabitants - which had accumulated to a considerable amount over the last couple of weeks - finding shelter outside amongst the dead, which at that moment in time was the safest option. The flames licked the air ferociously and hungrily, surviving only on oxygen and on the furnishings in the once much loved, historic farmhouse that had been passed down through the Greene family for many generations.

The fire took no prisoners as it ripped through century old antiques, devouring family heirlooms, old photographs and well used furniture. The house that had stood proud on the same spot, surrounded by acres and acres of beautiful farm land and woodland, was burning to the ground and nothing and no one could stop the flames.

The memories of generations living within the walls of the Greene Family Farm perished in the fire, and the future generations would never get the opportunity to see the farmhouse in all its splendour, feeling the warmth that radiated from the family, as it would become nothing but ash that would soon seep into the soil. As the early morning sun began to make an appearance, it illuminated the smoke filled air and gave all those in the surrounding area a glimpse of the true devastation the fire had caused.

Though the sadness was felt in every one of them, the survivors were busily trying to fight off the dead who had, over the previous few months, had crept closer towards them, like moths to a flame. They fought like their lives depended on it - and it did, and all the while trying to ensure their friends and family had made it out of the fire and not being ripped apart by the dead.

She was alone. She had run as far away as she could, obeying her father's orders to find a safe place. The farm in which she had grown up seeking adventure in, playing for hours in the wildflowers just a stones throw away from the house, was betraying her in that very moment. Each turn she made, every direction she looked, the dead were there, waiting for her. Grasping hungrily at her, jaws smacking together as they made a bee line for her. She moved away from them, muttering to herself, and she found safety behind the chicken coop.

And that was when she allowed fear to overwhelm her, where she felt frozen to the ground, her feet stuck in invisible concrete. She couldn't move, she found breathing to be difficult, she felt the overwhelming sensation of dizziness. All she could do was stand there, and hope that she would snap out of it sooner rather than later.

She moved slightly and looked around at her surroundings; the fire was blaring in the distance, having seeped into her own bedroom and destroying everything she loved; her family which now consisted of her father and sister were shooting the walkers that were inching closer and closer to them; the squatters who had taken refuge outside with their vehicles, tents and large RV were tackling the dead as best they could.

She knew the new world would never be safe, with the dead now claiming every aspect of normal life. She never realised just how fearful she was, how emotional she would be, and how those close to her could never rely on her protecting them. She was young, but she was never prepared for such a world. They trusted her with everything else, as Maggie had enlightened her in a few secrets regarding the Korean man who had arrived with the group, but when it depended on their life, they knew that Beth wouldn't be able to do much.

She wanted to protect her family. But she couldn't.

Screaming filled the air and she closed her eyes tightly, her anxiety gripping tighter around her throat. She knew she needed to help. She knew she needed to do at least something. But she stayed where she was until the screaming behind her stopped. She didn't know just how long she had been hiding near the chicken coop for, but the sun was now high in the sky, its rays beating down on her. The air around her was silent now, except for the crackling of the fire in the distance.

She turned slowly, her eyes adjusting to the brightness of a new day. Bodies were strewn across the farmland. She was able to see that some of the dead were still standing, their attention fixed solely on the burning farmhouse, and some had ventured inside and had immediately caught fire. The stench of the air was what came next to Beth, as she stood watching the scene in front of her. She looked around, the sighting she had of her father and sister having gone and disintegrated with the night.

She moved out from behind the chicken coop, her legs heavy and her head still as dizzy. She was sure to stay as quiet as possible, but she was aware of just how heavy her breathing was. But it was as if her movements and breathing were a sensor to the dead, as the ones who were devouring the family animals snapped their heads towards her. They climbed over the dead carcasses, capturing the attention of the dead who were close to the house, and all began to amble towards her.

She turned and ran.

She knew the direction of where she was heading was not the ideal one. The woods would be as equally as dangerous, if not more, and as she hadn't ventured out into the woods ever since the world has ended, she had lost her navigation skills. She knew there was a highway close by - the one her father and Sheriff Rick had told everyone to head to if circumstances meant they had to abandon the house and get to safety, which was over a large hill and through thick bushes. As she ran however, her mind was focused solely on getting away from the dead who despite their decayed states, were hot on her tail.

She found a large tree, and hid for a moment. Her breath was hard to catch, and her legs and lungs felt as though they were on fire. Branches snapped behind her and she found herself running again, slower than before. A flurry of scenery passed her by, and she was aware of more walkers being in the woods already. Her movements had caught their attention too, and she fought the urge to give up and succumb to the dead, knowing she was outmatched.

She stopped, coming to the bottom of the large hill that she would have to climb in order to truly escape. She looked to her right - the way she had come from - and saw the dead closing in on her. The sound and smell of them was something that sent shockwaves down her spine. She had never been so close to them before.

A hand grabbed her arm, and she turned, and a silent scream escaped her. She ripped her arm out of the grasp of a walker and moved quickly away.

The dead were everywhere. She couldn't do anything except stumble backwards and hope that she didn't stumble into anymore.

"Please... no.." she whispered, her voice hoarse and foreign to her. Her pleading fell on deaf ears as the dead continued to stumble towards her, their hands trying to grab her, their dead eyes staring hungrily at her, as their teeth and jaws snapped in her direction. She took a deep breath, knowing there was no way out, and closed her eyes-

An arrow flew through the air and penetrated the brain of the walker in front of her. Before the walker could fall to the ground, gunfire erupted around her, and instinct told her to move quickly out of the way. As the gunfire ceased after a few moments, she found it difficult to breathe.

A familiar face came into view, and she tried to focus on their features. She had never spoken to him before but had seen him on the farm a few times. He kept himself to himself, only seeking conversation from his brother or Sheriff Rick.

"Ya bit?" He said, his voice abrupt and hoarse. She realised in that moment that she had never heard him speak before. His voice was different to what she had expected it to be.

She stared into his eyes for a moment before shaking her head. "No... I don't think so," she said quietly.

He kept his eyes on her for a brief moment, before laying his crossbow down beside him and grabbing her wrists. He pulled each sleeve up, moving her arms as he checked for scratches or bite marks. He moved her blonde ponytail out of the way, and checked her neck and collarbone for bite wounds or scratches. When he was happy that she wasn't marked, he glanced at his brother for a moment. He was aware of her attention being on him still, and as he moved his attention back to her, he knew he had her full attention.

"Beth, we need to get to the highway," he spoke clearly. "Ya family will be there. The group will be there. Can ya stand?"

She nodded, knowing her voice would only just fail her.

"More's comin'," Merle's southern drawl could be heard. "We gotta move or they'll be munching on our asses."

Daryl glanced at Beth, his eyes watching as staggered forward. He shouldered his crossbow and moved her into the middle of him and his brother. Merle would lead them out of the woods and onto the highway, Beth would be protected in the middle, and Daryl would ensure they were all safe from behind.

He watched Beth's footing, pulled her back in line when she strayed too far off course. Any walkers in their way were taken down by Merle's homemade bayonet arm which was a relief for Daryl as his attention was wavering slightly as he concentrated on the young, inexperienced girl in front of him.

The hill was steeper than she remembered, and her legs felt as though they were going to collapse under her. As twigs and branches caught her clothes thus grazing her skin, her eyes fell upon the large ash tree with its overhanging branches and leaves looming over the woodland floor. She saw the scrapes in the bark, the familiar names etched in the tree trunk.

Beth. Jimmy. 2009. A crooked love heart encased their names forever in the memory of that day.

As they climbed the hill, the two men who she had grown used to seeing around the farm would never know the significance of that tree. They bypassed it without a second glance, and continued on the trail to the highway.

The highway held so much hope and promise. The promise of her family being alive and well, which was a strange concept to comprehend. The new world took no prisoners, and the safety of her family was even more paramount. She was a worrier anyway, but even more so now. And being away from her family, watching her childhood home burn to the ground as the dead invaded her only safe place in the world, it was all too much.

And it was gone. The house, her belongings, her safe place.

Her family was missing, and all she wanted to be was in her father's arms being reassured that everything was fine. She wanted her sisters calm voice in her ear telling her she was safe. But she was with two men she barely knew, who had taken it upon themselves to take her to safety and she was grateful for that. She knew that without them, she wouldn't be alive and making her way to the highway where her family would be. Where her family had to be.

But as they came out of the clearing, the highway was empty. No signs of life were evident on the long stretch of road. Just beat up, abandoned, dusty vehicles blocked the road, with strewn clothing and old supplies upon the hot concrete. They waited and waited for hours, with no one coming out from the tree line. A few walkers made an appearance, but were quickly taken care of before they became a problem. As the day was transitioning into evening, and with no sleep and no food, Daryl called out to her that they need to be on the move. They needed to find shelter before nightfall, and they needed to make sure they ate something.

Seeing the defeat and panic on her face, Daryl promised they would return the next day.

As they left the highway, Beth felt inexplainable pain.


	2. Shadows In The Night

Author's Note: Thanks so much for the response to the first chapter, I'm so happy! Especially thanks to _galwidanatitud, Reignashii, emerald1921 & Khyharah _for their reviews!

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FLAMES WITH FIRE

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CHAPTER TWO: SHADOWS IN THE NIGHT

The new world was a cruel affair. When the first news broadcast aired across America about a virus sweeping through the states, giving those watching on their television sets or listening to the radio in the car on their way to work an insight on another thing to worry about, Hershel Greene referred to it as some sort of reckoning.

He was sat in the kitchen, reading the morning paper as his daughter prepared herself for her first day at work. His youngest daughter had left for school, having been met by her boyfriend Jimmy at the door. Hershel had watched them walk up the dirt track towards the main road to wait for the school bus. He would never imagine the day unfolding the way it did, nor would he ever be able to conjure up the image of his youngest daughter - with blonde silvery hair like her mothers - running down towards the house covered in blood.

Maggie Greene, his eldest daughter, looked over his shoulder at the news of the day. It was the same usual stuff; scary words printed in bold lettering to try and get the nation to change. The voices of strangers filled the seemingly quiet house, conversing to each other about the current headlines.

'It seems as though a virus is making its way across the whole of America, attacking cities mostly. This news comes from numerous attacks in New York and Los Angeles which have all resulted in deaths. The CDC claim that it is a virus, but many are unsure. The CDC and the police have issued statements pleading for everyone to remain indoors. Next, we're discussing whether the perfect body really exists-'

Maggie turned the radio off. The news over the last few weeks had been nothing more than scare-mongering. Hershel looked up as the kitchen descended into silence.

"That, my girl, is some sort of reckoning," he claimed boldly.

"Why you say that, daddy?"

"We've destroyed the world over time, that Mother Nature is going to begin to claim it back," Hershel explained, absentmindedly. His eyes remained on the printed words but he wasn't reading them.

"Alright daddy," Maggie said, rolling her eyes. "I'm going to head off now. Have a slow drive over."

Hershel slid off his seat, and enveloped his daughter in a protective hug. "I'm so proud of you, darling. You've done me so proud. Your mother would've been so proud of you," he said, his voice breaking at the end. "You're going to take the world by storm."

"Thank you, daddy," she whispered, equally as choked up.

"Text me, ring me, hell, even send a carrier pigeon to me to let me know how your day is going," Hershel said excitedly. It was a big thing for him, having his daughter go out into the working world having graduating the summer before. It was something he and his wife had wanted for their children, and when his wife left the world, he made a promise to her that their children would get the best out of life. Maggie had worked hard to achieve her teaching degree, having spent some time off to deal with her mother's sudden death but nevertheless returning to education once she was ready.

"I will," Maggie smiled widely. She was so grateful to have a father so supportive of her decision to go into the teaching field, and equally as excited as she was about what the future now held.

"Go teach those young minds," Hershel called as he stood on the porch, watching as Maggie made her way to her vehicle. The amount of love and pride in his heart was overwhelming, even for him. As she drove away and out of sight, he returned to the house where his newspaper sat on the kitchen counter with articles waiting to be read. Before he took a seat, he had turned the radio on just as the second broadcast blared out throughout the house.

Hershel Greene would never understand just how much his life would change in a day.

As he stood on the highway, watching the tree line, he couldn't shake the worry that grabbed hold of his heart. He had made it out of the burning house, and had been able to get away from the horde, but his family was separated, fractured. The world had caused everything to crumble around him. His life before was simple, organised and good. He was a good man, and yet he was so broken now.

Hershel felt betrayed.

His daughters weren't with him. He stood on the highway with Rick and his young family. His family was missing, and it had been hours since he had last seen them around. He cursed himself mentally, angry at himself for not ensuring that they were safe, and alive. He had seen Beth, saw the panic written all over her face, and had told her to head to some place safe, as far away from the house and the dead as possible.

"Hershel," Rick's voice filled the silence.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Hershel muttered. "Our lives weren't supposed to be like this."

Rick said nothing, only watched as the man spoke about bitterness and a reckoning.

"I caused this," Hershel whispered, adamant.

"You didn't cause this," Rick interjected. "This whole thing ain't nobody's fault."

"I turned to drink," Hershel whispered, turning to him. The sadness in his eyes was something that surprised Rick. The weeks in which Rick had known him, he never once showed any emotion; keeping up appearances of a man who seemed to brush off any problem he was faced with. Even with the end of the world staring him dead in the eye, he would not be defeated. "The day the world truly changed, I spent the entire morning in the bar in the town. I drank myself into oblivion, drove home, and not even ten minutes later, Beth is running down to the house, covered in blood. Her friend had turned and attacked the teacher."

"You are not the cause of this," Rick reaffirmed. "This is something so much bigger. You fell off the wagon, but that little thing didn't destroy the world."

Hershel wasn't so sure. He was a man of God, and had believed in signs for all of his life.

"They're going to head here," Rick said, reassuringly. "Everyone is going to make it here. I promise."

Hershel Greene wanted to believe him. He just hoped that Beth and Maggie had found each other and weren't alone, injured or had perished. He knew they were smart, and they had inherited their mother's wisdom, but underneath his worry, he just hoped they were okay.

* * *

Beth spent most of the night staring into the darkness. They had ventured back into the woods, with Merle having constructed a loud barrier between them and the potential dead visitors they could get in the night. The beer cans that had been scattered and disposed of on the muddy ground had come in handy and had been used along with the string found in Daryl's backpack.

They had built a fire quickly, the trio sitting in silence as they stared into the flames. The sadness was evident on Beth's face, her mouth turned down, her eyes tearful as her mind replayed the moments leading up to the fire and ambush from the dead.

She had been sat outside on the porch. They had just eaten dinner and she had taken refuge outside to read a few pages of her book. Tess of the d'Urbervilles had been the novel being studied at school, and part of her wanted to ensure she caught up on her reading just in case school restarted. Though it had been months since she was last sat in a classroom, she hoped that her life would return to normal and she would be able to finally graduate. Beth had been aware of the chatter outside, and she had grown accustomed to it over the last few weeks, so much so she was able to block it out.

The sun was descending behind the trees when there was a loud scream. The two children that had arrived with the group had strayed too close to the edge of the farm, and as Beth stood, placing her book close to the candle she had brought out with her. She had called for her father, who had exited the house quickly. As she stood on the porch, and watched as a horde of dead came out of the tree line, fear gripped her heart. For so long, she had been sheltered and protected from the true horror of the new world; she'd had a close call at school but her father had made sure she was kept away from the outside world.

They were in the countryside, which was safe, or so they had thought. It hadn't taken long before the nightmare that plagued the cities began to seep into the countryside.

As everyone had jumped into action, she could only stand and watch. Maggie had joined the fight, having unlocked the weapons that belonged to the group that Hershel had confiscated from them. As the dead fell to the ground, bullets piercing their brains, she heard a rush behind her and she turned around. The candle had toppled over onto the book which had then caught fire. It took a few moments for her to realise the true extent of the incident. She had panicked.

"Hey-"

A voice caught her attention, and she turned to glance at the hunter. The flames of the fire illuminated his face. He was staring at her with concern written all over his face. His eyes gave him away, betraying him of his hard exterior. He was different to his brother, kinder.

"-Ya need to eat," he added. She looked down at her makeshift plate. Daryl had ventured into the woods and tracked down a squirrel and a rabbit.

"Not hungry," Beth whispered, her voice low and child-like.

Daryl was silent. He glanced towards Merle who raised his eyebrows and shrugged. He looked back at Beth. "I get it. Ya worried, but for ya sake and ours, ya need to eat."

"What my little brother is trying to say is that by ya not eating, ya have to rely on us more than we want ya too," Merle chipped in. "So ya can either eat that or go hungry. But we ain't gonna baby ya."

Beth's eyes stung with tears as Merle's words hit her hard. She was aware of Daryl's gaze still being on her, and she glanced up at him tearfully. He was unsure of what to say to her to make it all okay, as he understood more than she would ever know. He had been the same age as her when a fire had ripped through his house, taking his mothers life with it. He got it, he really did. The pain, the panic, the complete worry of not knowing where her father or sister was, was evident on her face.

Beth began to eat, taking small bits at first, enough to settle the nausea in her stomach. As Merle settled down to sleep, and Daryl taking first watch, Beth felt the urge to expel everything from her stomach.

As Beth hurled up the small amount of food to Merle's chainsaw snores, she apologised to Daryl over and over. He shrugged, and wordlessly kicked dirt over the pool of vomit.

"Try and get some sleep," he whispered to Beth. "Ya'll feel better after some rest."

"You need to sleep, too," Beth said faintly.

"I will," Daryl replied. "Merle and I will do shifts. Sleep."

Beth laid down on the ground, feeling much better after hurling the contents of her stomach up. The ground was hard underneath her body but at that moment in time, she didn't care. Tiredness washed over her and she felt herself drifting off.

Daryl watched the sleeping form of Beth for a small moment before turning his attention to the darkness around him. He was exhausted, but he had lasted on less sleep than this. He didn't know what was in stall for them from this point on, and he wondered if they would ever meet back up with the rest of the group. Were they alive? Had they made it out? Did they get away?

One thing he was sure of, Beth needed him more than ever.


	3. Call You Home

CHAPTER THREE: CALL YOU HOME

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 _The fire ripped through her house, the childhood home that had been her safe place was being destroyed and all she could was stare as the flames licked hungrily at the air. The fear within her heart gripped tightly and she felt as though her lungs were going to cease and give up. Her eyes never tore away from the windows, where the figures of her loved ones stood, all watching out at her with blank expressions._

 _Their eyes were boring into her, and that was when she felt the burn of tears in her eyes. They were all in the house, and she couldn't do anything but stare at them. Her voice failed her in that moment, as the fire spread to the porch, and out onto the steps. It was a few inches away from her now, and her feet remained glued to the spot on the grass that she had played on for hours as a young girl, carefree and oblivious of the future ahead of her._

 _"You could stop this," they all said. Maggie, Daddy, Shawn and Jimmy. Their voices were monotone, emotionless. "You could join us."_

 _"No…" she whispered, her voice finding her in that moment. "I can stop it… I can make it stop…"_

 _"Beth…"_

"Beth…"

Beth woke with a jolt. The figure of Daryl above her was something that caught her off guard, and she panicked slightly as realisation descended upon her. She wanted to cry out, as the images of her family in the burning house was still ingrained in her mind. Daryl stared at her for a moment as she sat up, her bones cracking due to the hard ground beneath her. He had questions to ask but he remained silent, just watching her from afar.

She looked around at the empty surroundings, noticing they were one man down. Merle had gone. She looked towards Daryl who sensed her worry about his missing brother and shrugged.

"Merle…" he began. "He has this habit of leaving when we're in a shit storm."

Beth nodded. Daryl picked up the note Merle had written out and handed it to Beth.

 _ **Herd whistlin, gone to look, be back soon.**_

The note was small and lacked serious information. She handed it back to Daryl who stared at her.

"What did it say?" he asked, quietly. He tightened his grip on his crossbow as he asked her, and she pondered his question for a moment. She wondered if he had read it, but realisation hit her. Daryl couldn't read, and was asking for her to relay Merle's message to him.

"He heard whistling," Beth began. "He went to look and that he'd be back soon."

Daryl nodded. "I fell asleep. He didn't wake me."

Beth noticed the change in his tone. It had gone from a vulnerable questioning tone to a harsh and more angry tone. She stood up and brushed herself off. Daryl threw the note in the remnants of the fire they had built, and watched as the paper singed until it wilted like a dead flower.

"He promised he would come back," Beth reassured. "He came back last time."

Daryl only shrugged, and they fell into silence once more. The crackle from the fire was the only sound Beth could hear, and she wondered if she should bring up her nightmare. She wondered if Daryl knew she was having a nightmare, but if he did know then she was grateful that he didn't bring attention to it. It was difficult for Beth to blink as each time she closed her eyes – even for just a mere second – she could see them. Standing there in the windows of the farmhouse, their bodies stood still and staring out at her. Their monotone voices reverberated throughout her mind as she tried to shake the feeling of guilt wash over her.

"Ya okay?" Daryl asked, breaking Beth from her invisible prison. Beth glanced anxiously at him and gave a short, albeit hesitant nod. "Ya sure?"

"Yes…" she insisted. "All good."

Daryl changed the subject, knowing that she wasn't okay but he didn't want to pry. He was able to sense people's feelings with the way they spoke and held themselves. Beth was having issues, which was understandable especially with what had happened the night before. He watched as she picked the skin around her nails anxiously.

"We should head to the highway again," he proposed. "Maybe they're there or have left a note."

Beth perked up and smiled gratefully at him. They stood. Daryl stamped out the fire, and held his crossbow close to his body. He moved close to Beth.

"I need ya to stick close to me, got that?" Daryl coached. "Ya see anything, ya tell me."

Beth nodded quietly. They walked in silence for an hour, both their attentions drawn to any sounds that the woodland offered. Daryl tracked, and Beth watched as he studied the ground. He would motion for her to walk side by side with him, then for her to drop back when something wasn't quite right. She was learning to stay silent when she needed to, and she knew when to notify him if there was anything he hadn't picked up on. She let him lead mostly, observing the way he tracked, as he picked up on the heavy boots that had trudged through the fallen leaves and disturbed the soil underneath. It was a mixture of their footing but also an extra pair, which could only mean that Merle had gone back the way they had come.

They came to the clearing, and reached the highway before the heat from the sun could descend upon them. It was warm, but it wasn't an uncomfortable warmth, and Daryl was grateful. Beth's footing, though she tried to keep up with him, was slow and clumsy. He found that he had to pull her back on track sometimes.

As they came onto the highway, not much had changed from the night before. The vehicles were still abandoned and stationary, and no sign of life seemed to have passed through.

Beth felt hopeless. She didn't want to get emotional, but she felt lost in the world. Without her father and sister by her side, she didn't know what to do. She didn't know where they were. How was she supposed to find them when she had nothing to go off on?

Daryl watched from afar, and made sure he gave her the space she needed. Beth crumbled to the ground, and felt the tarmac scrape against her jeans. She allowed the emotion to burst through the seams, and she cried until she didn't have any tears left. He moved towards her and knelt next to her. He placed a weary hand upon her shoulder, and noticed that she didn't jump or jolt away from his touch. He didn't need any words for she knew that he was there for her, and she was appreciative of that.

He had shown his worth to her very quickly. He was still there, and that meant something.

Gurgling caught their attention, and Daryl stood swiftly. His crossbow was held tightly to him, and he scanned the area around them. It took him seconds to narrow down where the gargling had come from, and observed a walker clawing its way from underneath a vehicle. He narrowed his gaze at it as it struggled to find its feet. He placed his crossbow down on the ground, and took out his knife. He then moved quickly towards the walker, grabbing the back of its head and embedding the blade into its skull.

He turned back and found that Beth had made no movement, despite hearing the same walker. He furrowed his brow.

"Ya gotta listen out for them," he warned. "Ya can't just shut off."

Beth looked at him tearfully. His voice was harsh. "I'm sorry, Daryl…"

"I have to keep ya safe now," Daryl spat. "But ya gotta look after yourself, and ya gotta be focussed on stuff around ya."

"It won't happen again," Beth breathed. "I promise."

Daryl nodded, and that was when he heard it. The rush of moaning hit him, and he turned around. He saw the stumbling figures of a herd of walkers in the distance, and he wondered if it was the same horde that had descended upon the farm the night before.

"Daryl?" Beth's voice was epitome of fear.

"We gotta go, Beth…" he whispered. "We gotta go."

Beth nodded, and they ran as fast as their legs could carry them. Their legs ached and their lungs burned but they kept moving. The horde was behind them, but that didn't mean they were away from danger. The more distance they were from the walkers, the better their chances were. It was only when the sun was beginning to set that they came to a small house. It was more of a shack than a house, but it looked as though it could protect them, even just for a night. Beth stood on the steps as Daryl made the rounds and investigated the safety of the house. She looked in the windows, noticing no sign of life.

Daryl checked the surrounding area of the abandoned house, found no imminent danger. He moved to where he had left Beth, and knocked on the door. Beth remained quiet as they waited a while. When Daryl was satisfied that there were no walkers inside, Daryl turned the door knob and entered the house first, his crossbow aimed in front of him. He motioned for Beth to be quiet, as he searched the small layout, checking all the rooms for the dead.

Beth had remained in the living room. Daryl came back shortly after.

"It's empty," Daryl said, moving towards the door, and locking it with the key that was hung up on the wall.

As they settled down, tiredness overwhelming them, Beth watched as Daryl fought sleep. He'd only had a few hours sleep over the course of two days, and it was beginning to show. He was exhausted, mentally and physically. He was sat on the couch, and with each silent minute that ticked by, he was settling further and further into the couch, his eyes closing with each breath he took.

As a low snore escaped a sleeping Daryl, Beth moved over to him, and pulled the blanket that was folded and placed upon the arm rest, and laid it over him. Instinct seemed to take over Daryl as he grabbed her arm roughly and opened his eyes.

"Go to sleep, Daryl," Beth strained, as his grip loosened. "I'm here. And I'll wake you if there's anything."

He nodded, sleepily. "Merle?"

"Not here," she said, knowing that Merle would be able to track them. She watched him close his eyes, and moved towards the bookshelf. She browsed the various titles, and she smiled softly as she found a familiar title.

Tess of the d'Ubervilles.

She wondered if it was a sign, and as she pulled it out, she ran a finger along the spine of the book. She opened the book, thumbing through the pages carefully, and her eyes ran along the handwritten words inside the front cover.

 _To my darling Sherry,  
I love you with all my heart. Happy Anniversary honey,  
Love Dwight  
x_

Beth glanced at Daryl's sleeping form, and settled onto the couch opposite. She opened the book, finding the place that she had been at, all the while memories returning to her of that night. She shook the guilt away and allowed her mind to rest as she read.

Daryl didn't dream. His sleep was light, and he was aware of Beth moving around him. He could never sleep through the night, and he could never sleep heavy. Merle, on the other hand, was dead to the world as soon as his head hit the pillow, and nothing could ever wake him. As the hours drew on, he woke sometime later, and sat up slowly.

Beth's attention was engrossed in a book, and Daryl observed her for a moment before her gaze flicked to him. A small smile flashed across her face but if he hadn't been looking, he would've missed it.

"How long was I sleepin' for?" Daryl inquired.

"Four hours," Beth chirped.

"What ya reading?" he asked, as he rubbed his tired face.

"Tess of the d'Ubervilles," Beth answered. "My favourite."

Daryl nodded, though he had never heard of it. He moved into a sitting position, his boots planted on the carpeted floor. He stretched, feeling the bones crack in protest.

"I checked outside every ten minutes, you know… just in case," Beth filled Daryl in.

"I heard ya," he said.

"Sorry…" she whispered.

He shook his head. "It's fine. I'm a light sleeper."

Beth nodded, and changed the subject quickly. "I found a few cans of beans in the cupboard."

They ate in silence. Beth was always a conversation starter. She loved getting to know other people. Her father always called her inquisitive, whilst Maggie playfully teased that she was just nosey. She wanted to get to know Daryl, but she understood that he was a quiet individual, preferring his own company than the company of others. She found his actions to be thought-provoking. What made him want to keep himself to himself? Why did he never participate in any of the conversations around him?

Daryl sensed hesitation from her. "Ya okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," she chuckled. "I just… don't know anything about you, that's all."

"Ain't nothin' interesting about me," Daryl confessed, turning his attention back on his food.

"I bet there is," Beth said. "Can we play a game?"

"A game?"

Beth nodded. "I need to take my mind off everything…"

Daryl stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Alright."

"Good," Beth beamed. "We ask each other questions. And we have to answer them truthfully."

Daryl furrowed his brow. "Alright."

"I'll go first," Beth said. She thought for a moment. "What did you do before the outbreak?"

"I worked in a garage," Daryl answered. "I fixed up vehicles."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"Thought it was my turn," Daryl asked. Beth chuckled and motioned for him to ask.

"How old are ya?"

"Eighteen," she answered truthfully. "Were you with someone before the outbreak?"

Daryl was quiet. "No. Were you?"

Beth nodded. "He's missing."

"I'm sorry," Daryl said, honestly.

Beth shrugged sadly. "It is what it is."

Daryl nodded, not able to think of anything to say.

"Do you miss the old world?"

Daryl shook his head after a moment. "No."

Beth was taken aback by that, but respected his answer.

"Are ya okay?" Daryl asked. "How ya coping?"

Beth couldn't seem to find the answer to his questions, to his concerns. No one had ever asked her if she was okay. In the months after the outbreak, it was easier to bury your head in the sand and get on with life. She always kept her head held high, always kept her emotions in line, and never once faltered. Only when she closed the door to her bedroom was she able to break down, but no one – not even her father had asked her if she was coping with such a change – and she, again, was taken aback by how Daryl cared enough to ask her how she was coping. Tears stung her eyes and she saw the concern etch across Daryl's face.

"I'm trying to cope," Beth whispered, sadly.

Daryl offered a small smile. "Ya doing all ya can, and that's good."

Beth bit her lip. "Do you ever go to sleep at night hoping the world would be how it used to be, but then wake up and for a split second you believe your wish came true?"

"All the time," he breathed.

"Are we ever going to find them?" Beth fretted. The game was over, it seemed, but neither Beth nor Daryl seemed to mind. "You can be honest with me, Mr Dixon."

Daryl wanted to be honest with her, but she was a dreamer. She created fantasies in her head despite knowing they would never come true. She was young, naïve. He didn't want to worry her, and not let her believe that they would find the others. He didn't know what tomorrow would bring, and he couldn't predict the future. In that moment, he wished that he could, just so the sadness in her eyes would be replaced with hope, with optimism.

"Be honest with me, Daryl."

"Maybe," he consoled. "I've found Merle again. We can find them, but I don't know if we will."

"It's just you and me then," Beth whispered.

Daryl nodded. "Ya should get some sleep."

"I think I'm going to read for a little longer," Beth said. He smiled, and let her lose herself in the fictional world whilst he cleared away the empty cans.

A few hours later, in the middle of the night, a small voice entered his ears. He was by the window, surveying the surrounding area for any threats. He turned towards Beth, wondering why she was still awake. She had settled down an hour earlier.

"Ya supposed to be sleepin'," he chuckled.

"I need to tell you something," she whispered.

He was able to see her dark figure sit up from the couch, and he could tell from the nerves in her voice that she was struggling with something.

"What's wrong?"

It was a moment before Beth spoke. "I caused the fire."


	4. Find A Way

Author's Note: Wow! Thanks so much the reviews on the last chapter, it means a lot knowing that you're enjoying it. I love writing this story and creating storylines for Beth and Daryl that is separate from the show. I have quite a lot planned and I'm super excited to show you. Reviews are always appreciated, and I love reading what you think. Enjoy!

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CHAPTER FOUR: FIND A WAY

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It was shortly before sunrise when Daryl woke Beth up from her slumber. She opened her eyes and stared at him for a split second. She had fallen into a heavy sleep, on the cusp of nightmares and not dreaming at all. Her revelation was something that had disintegrated into thin air as soon as it had been spoken, and Daryl had allowed her to voice her worry. He never jumped in, nor reassured her. As her voice quietened and the silence filled their ears, he simply told her to sleep. Part of her was glad that he didn't judge her in that moment, and allowed to her vent and ramble on as much as she needed to. And it seemed that voicing it was enough for her to feel better; it wouldn't change a thing but she didn't have that burden resting heavy on her shoulders.

"What time is it?"

Daryl returned to the window, his voice hoarse with tiredness. "Just before six."

She watched his back. "Have you slept?"

"A little," answered Daryl. "Couldn't settle."

Beth nodded, though Daryl didn't turn around to check when nothing but silence filled his ears. He had reluctantly moved away from the window in the early hours when tiredness overwhelmed him, and he had slept lightly, always aware of the unfamiliar creaks and sounds the house made. Every little noise caused him to be on edge, and as the minutes slowly dragged on rather painfully, he acknowledged that sleep would evade him no matter what he did, and he grudgingly returned to the window. He had checked on Beth and made sure she was okay; it was a habit of his that had grown with his fear of Merle reacting badly to whatever drug he had taken. Even now, when drugs and trouble could no longer find Merle, he still worried about him.

He had placed a hand in front of Beth's mouth, feeling the warmth of her breath upon his calloused hand. He had watched her sleep, noticing the innocence and vulnerability on her features even when she was sleeping and he acknowledged that what she had told him a few hours before was something she had battled with herself ever since it had happened.

A mistake, that's all it was. He knew about those. And Beth had lost so much.

They were more alike than he cared to admit.

As Beth sat up from her sleeping position, she yawned tiredly. The couch was pleasant but more uncomfortable than she had realised, but she was appreciative for the rest it provided her. She was worried about Daryl, knowing that he wasn't getting the amount of sleep he needed.

"We're heading out soon so I'd make sure ya eat." Daryl announced. Beth nodded, and made her way into the open kitchen. She grabbed two cans of fruit and opened them with the can opener, before passing one to Daryl. He gave her a nod of thanks, and they both ate in silence.

Beth couldn't read the silence. Was it awkward between them, now that she had opened up to him in such a way? Was he uncomfortable knowing that she was the main reason as to why the farmhouse was ultimately destroyed?

"Where are we going? Back to the highway?" Beth asked wistfully. She knew it was a shot in the dark but she could only hope that the horde had passed through.

Daryl shook his head. "It's too dangerous."

Beth felt hopeless. She understood the danger, but she could only wonder if they had returned to the highway like they had.

"We'll track," Daryl said, noticing the sadness on her face. "See if I can pick anything up."

Beth offered a small smile to Daryl. He redirected his gaze onto the can of untouched peaches in his hand. He knew he was being different with her, and it wasn't about anything that she had told him. It was more with him; he liked his own company and felt uncomfortable when in another person's company for too long. He was awkward, and doubted himself. His social anxiety had somewhat worsened since the end of the world. In the old world, when it all became too much for him, he would be able to take himself away from normal everyday life, and isolate himself until he was better.

But now, it seemed there was nowhere to run. And he couldn't leave Beth to fend for herself.

As they readied themselves to leave the abandoned house, Daryl watched as Beth returned the book she had been reading to the bookshelf.

"Ya know ya can take it with ya," Daryl suggested. "No one's gonna be angry with ya."

Beth smiled sheepishly. She held the book tightly, but placed it back where she had found it.

Beth walked past Daryl, and opened the door. The sun beamed in through the windows, and lit up her face as she descended the steps of the porch. Daryl hovered, before moving towards the bookcase where he pulled the book out, and placed it in his backpack. He grabbed his crossbow and closed the door behind him.

They walked in silence, allowing the sun to warm their faces. Beth's footing was less anxious, and she was more cautious of Daryl's movements. She stopped when he stopped, observed the tracks that he paid close attention to, and always made sure her movements were more controlled and less clumsy.

Daryl couldn't have been more impressed with the change in Beth. He gave her a thumbs up.

The woods were beginning to lessen, with less trees hanging above them. Daryl did a scan of the surrounding area, and found no significant danger. It was quiet, except for the sounds of birds tweeting high in the trees, obscured by the early morning sun.

"What ya told me last night," Daryl affirmed. "It ain't ya fault. It was an accident."

"I should'a been more careful."

"The walkers… they were always gonna be there." Daryl informed. "Both things were out of our control."

"I thought I was able to handle it," Beth whispered.

Daryl pondered over what he was going to tell Beth, wondering if he was healed enough to open up to her. He took a deep breath.

"I was nine," he began. "My mom… she was a drinker, and loved a cigarette when she was drunk out of her face. She fell asleep one night after drinking all day. I tried to save her but the fire, it was everywhere."

"Daryl… I'm so sorry," Beth consoled. She didn't know quite what to say.

"We couldn't get her out, but everyone got out the other night," Daryl continued. "I made sure of that."

Beth glanced over at him and offered a sad smile.

As they came through the clearing and their gazes settled upon the field of pristine, untouched wildflowers, everything felt okay. Beth was an emotional girl at the best of times, but she felt tearful at the sight of an unspoiled field full of colour and life. Beth glanced towards Daryl, asking for permission with her eyes to venture into the field. Daryl nodded, and watched as Beth moved into the tall grass that was full of flowers. The sheer delight on Beth's face was something that he noticed first, the thoughtful gaze she cast around the never-ending field like a light beam through darkness.

He looked at things differently to her. And it wasn't as noticeable as before. He saw a field that they had to get across. For her, it was a beacon of hope. A sign.

He never saw fields so vibrant. He lived on a trailer park for most of his life, and the only flowers he saw were tied to lamp posts after an accident.

Beth was happy. The look on her face was something he hadn't seen since he and the group arrived onto the farm. She was a worrier, lost in a fantasy most of the time. But this, the image of her with a wide smile on her face as her eyes closed and head turned towards the bright sky. He smiled at her, but it was a smile she would never notice in that moment.

The field required a lot of walking – and it was something neither minded doing. As they traipsed across the field, the scent of the flowers filling their senses, they were both lost in their own thoughts. Beth was ahead of Daryl, and she was thinking about how her father and sister would've loved seeing a sight so beautiful. It was inspiring to her, gave her the hope she was losing. Daryl, on the other hand, was thinking about how much he needed to find Beth's family. His thoughts moved to Merle, and the note he had left. He never worried about Merle. But he worried about him more so now in the new world. There were so many new threats in the world, whereas before the only thing he had to worry about was bailiffs and drug dealers looking for Merle, whether the drugs his brother had taken were legit and not filled with God-knows-what.

Little things like the field full of blooming flowers reminded them that the world was not always a bad place.

But it seemed as though luck was not on their side that day.

Daryl noticed Beth had come to a halt. He stopped too, and watched her for a moment. She was looking down at the ground, and he furrowed his brow. She glanced up at him and the look of glee had been replaced with fear.

"Beth?" His voice was low, worried.

"Daryl…" Beth's voice quivered.

He raced over towards her, crossbow in the air as his body disturbed the flowers. He closed the gap between them, and came to where she stood as still as her shaking body could be. His eyes scanned the ground, and he believed that there was a walker. But she would've screamed, he would've known. He bent down, moving the grass and flowers that obscured his view, and it was then that he saw it.

Her foot was in an open bear trap.

The mechanism hadn't reacted to the pressure of her foot, but he knew it was only a matter of time before it reacted and embedded itself into her ankle and calf.

"Shit," he ushered. "Stay still."

"Daryl…" Beth repeated. He returned to his normal height and met her gaze.

"Everything is okay," Daryl reassured. "I'm gonna get you outta this thing. And we're gonna just be more careful."

Beth tearfully nodded.

"Ya gonna be okay," Daryl whispered. "Gonna make sure of that, Beth. I just need ya to breathe for me. In for three, out for three."

Beth followed his command, breathing in deeply and exhaling. Fear gripped her heart as she was aware of Daryl bending down and looking at the bear trap intensely. The amount of pressure he felt, knowing that her safety now depended on him, was overwhelming. He needed to make sure she was able to get out of it without an injury, but he never prepared for this to happen. As soon as she lifted her foot off the mechanism, it would clamp tightly around her leg, cutting through her skin and muscles and damaging nerves and blood vessels.

"Okay…" he breathed. "Okay."

But it seemed as though fate had dealt them a hand. The moaning and gurgling of a walker was something that Daryl heard close to them. It was concealed by the barrier of thick grass, and it was too late. Beth shrieked as the walker wrapped its arms around her, its teeth dangerously close to her neck. Beth reacted, pulling her foot out from the trap from shock and the sudden ambush from the dead. The bear trap's serrated jaw fastened around her leg.

Daryl reacted quickly by pushing the walker backwards and onto its back, where he pulled his knife out of his pocket and bludgeoned the blade into its brain over and over. He moved to Beth just as a sickening crack echoed throughout the empty field. Beth was screaming though no sound came out, and tears were rolling down her cheeks. Beth anticipated the pain but she never realised anything could hurt as much as it did.

Daryl grabbed the bear trap, and tried to manually pull it apart. His strength was determined and careful of the pressure upon her leg. He pulled, and pulled, and saw that the blades had not pierced her skin. Daryl found two springs on either side of the trap, and he pressed down hard on them. As the springs compressed, the bear trap lessened its grip around her leg.

"Pull ya leg out slowly," Daryl urged.

Beth took that moment to pull her leg out of the trap gently and carefully. As soon as Daryl was sure she was far away from the trap as possible, he released the springs and the bear trap, with a sickening crack, jolted together.

Daryl rushed to Beth's side. He checked over her leg, noticed that the bone was poking through the skin of her leg. He worriedly glanced at Beth, who was unaware of the severity of the injury. She had gone down at a wrong angle, which had caused her leg to break and the bone to pierce through the skin.

"I'm gonna get ya help," Daryl whispered. He shouldered his crossbow, and picked her up from the ground. He raced through the field, aware of the new arrivals in the shape of walkers making their way towards them, the smell of blood tantalising them.

He ran as fast as he could. He had no idea where to go. Time seemed to pass quickly, and Daryl was running out of time. Beth was pale, and going in and out of consciousness. She wasn't aware of where she was. He didn't know what to do. He wasn't experienced medically, having taken care of his own injuries over the years and doing what he needed to do. He didn't care if an injury of his scarred badly. No one would ever see it, just him. But this was Beth, and she needed help.

He carried her even when his arms became numb. His movements had slowed but he wouldn't give up on finding help. He was running out of options. The longer he left Beth's open wound untreated, the more likely she would suffer an infection. Beth whimpered into his chest.

"Tell me what to do, Beth," he whispered, but she was in too much pain to answer him.

The sound of a vehicle behind him entered his ears, and he turned around and saw headlights coming towards him. He wasn't going to hide. Beth needed help, and he knew he couldn't help her. The vehicle slowed, and Daryl, with the help of the headlights of the vehicle, he was able to see the blood trail that marked their way.

The vehicle came to stop, and the door opened to reveal a tall man with a beard. He looked inquisitively at them.

"She bit?" The man hollered.

"We need help," Daryl whispered. "She has a compound fracture. She needs help."

The man beckoned them towards the vehicle. "Come… we can help."

Daryl glanced down at Beth, and saw the same vulnerability on her face that he had just hours before. Her eyelids were flickering open, and as they met gazes, he knew what he had to do.


	5. Never Letting Go

Author's Note: Wow, thank you again for the amazing response to the last chapter. It means a lot to know that you guys are enjoying it! This chapter is slightly different, and we meet a few new original characters that I have created. However all is not what it seems. Hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think. I love reading your reviews!

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CHAPTER FIVE: NEVER LETTING GO

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The bell rang in the distance and Polly Winters felt a sense of peace wash over her. She walked towards the window that overlooked the compound – the community that she and her beloved husband had created from the ground up – and took a deep breath. The sun was setting which signified the end to another good day, and she watched as the community made their way towards the communal area in a wave.

She remembered the first day they found what was now Paradise Hope. It had just been her, her husband Robert, and their children Amber and Greg. It had been a partially developed housing estate before the world had ended, and they had made it as much of a home as they could. Thirteen houses had been built and three were half finished. It took a matter of weeks until they met other survivors, who had come to them to find salvation. A safe haven. A place to forget all the bad things in the world.

The houses were soon filled with young couples, and it became Paradise Hope. With the materials needed to complete the house builds, the men grouped together and finished building the rest of the houses for more people to join them. Before they realised what was happening, the houses were full. A year and a half later, the community was thriving.

The inhabitants all had roles. Men worked on the farm and build new houses. The women repaired clothes, cooked and brought up the young children. The new generation were important, and so they were taught essential skills early on. Though their ages ranged from three to eleven, each child had a personal tutor to help with their English and Maths.

As she made her way towards the communal area, she greeted everyone. She found her seat, next to her husband. As the food was brought out and placed down the length of the large narrow dining table, Polly stood and lifted her glass. The entire community she had grown to love focused their attention on her.

"Tonight, signifies a special event," Polly began. "I'm sure all of you are aware of the new arrival into Paradise Hope. Jennifer and Matthew welcomed a beautiful boy into the world this afternoon. Mother and baby are both doing incredibly well!"

The group cheered as they were notified of good news.

"But we also look forward to a few more events this week," Polly continued. "We have a few more babies joining our community and we couldn't be more pleased knowing that they are going to be the next generation of Hopeful's. When Robert and I came here with our children Greg and Amber, who were just fresh out of college, we were not expecting the greatness that this place would provide.

"We provide the foundation for the next generation, and so many of you are coupling together for love, for the future, for necessity and we are eternally grateful. We, myself and Robert, can no longer have children, and we must remind ourselves that the new world can do us no harm if we don't let it. And our children are the future, and we must protect them, and ensure that this place does not fail." Polly raised her glass and toasted. "To the future of Paradise Hope."

"To the future of Paradise Hope," the community cheered. As the meal was consumed and enjoyed, morality was high. Robert felt proud of his wife, and what they had achieved since the world became the nightmare they all could never prepare for. Their main focus was to create a community that would continue on even when they were no longer there. It may not have been the conventional way of sustaining a bright future, but it worked for them.

The people that stumbled across their community were surprised at how well it worked. Some were shocked but understood what needed to happen. Some were thrilled at the protection and safety it provided to them and their family. And nothing was ever done without a contract; a permanent record for the future generations.

"Mrs Winters, you are needed by the gates," Benjamin, the watchman, called to them. "Greg has returned with some survivors."

Polly excused herself, kissing her husband on the cheek, and followed after Ben. She had wondered how Greg was getting on with his scavenger hunt which had become a monthly routine. He seemed to enjoy it, relishing the freedom it brought him. He was young, Polly mused, and he needed time away from it all sometimes. As she came to gate, she was shocked to see the image in front of her. The lights from the overhead torches shone brightly upon the two individuals like a spotlight, intrusive and accusing. Polly had seen some sights in her life, but this was something she knew would take an age to forget.

A man, unkempt and dishevelled, stood before her. Sweat rolled down his dirty face, his hair clung to his skin, and his clothes were scruffy. His eyes pleaded with her. A young woman lay unconscious in his arms, pale and sickly.

It took her all but a small unspoken moment to notice the bone penetrating through the skin and trousers she was wearing.

"Come," Polly urged. She trudged to the infirmary, turned back often to ensure they were following her. Greg caught up with her, and she shot him a concerned glance. Out of ear shot from the strangers. "You sure do like bringing back surprises."

Greg shrugged. "I could hardly leave them by the side of the road."

Polly nodded, acknowledging the good in her only son. He always made sure to bring something back to the compound; a vase here, a painting there. What he had never brought back with him, however, were living people. She pulled open the doors to the infirmary, and ushered the newcomers inside. She glanced at the blonde girl and sighed heavily before turning to her son.

"Go fetch your father," she said. "We need him."

Greg nodded and disappeared thus leaving her alone with the strangers. She turned on the lights, allowing the room to be illuminated. Polly motioned towards the man to lay the young woman down onto the hospital bed. He stayed where he was with her in his arms.  
Polly sighed.

"I know you're protective of her…" Polly began, slipping on gloves. "But she needs help. And I can't help her unless you help me."

The man gave a short nod but made no attempt to move.

"What's your name?"

"Daryl…" he croaked. He looked down at the girl he held. "Beth."

"Okay, Daryl," Polly moved closer to him. "I need you to lay Beth down on the bed for me. Can you do that?"

He nodded, and moved towards the bed. He was careful of her head as he laid her gently upon the surface. He stared at her still form, the guilt rising within him as he saw the paleness of her skin. Daryl was in shock, and Polly watched him move away from the hospital bed as if it shocked him the closer he was to it.

The door opened revealing her husband. He observed Daryl with a narrowed gaze before turning his attention to Beth. Polly informed him about what she knew, which was very little.

"Please help her," Daryl's voice was low, almost a warning. Polly watched him from where she was.

"A husband's job is to protect his wife, and it's understandable that you're scared. But she's in the best hands, I can promise you that," she said to him. He looked at her with a furrowed brow. He was about to speak, to correct her, but she spoke for him. "Let me take you outside, get you some fresh air."

As she led him outside, she saw Greg standing on the porch. "You look dehydrated," she said, noticing Daryl's sunken eyes. "Why don't you and Greg get some water? We'll be right here when you return."

Daryl followed after Greg as Polly returned to the infirmary. He felt numb, exhausted. His mind couldn't conjure up any answers to the questions Greg was asking him. _How long have you been out there? What happened to her? Why were you both alone?_ After a while, when his questions weren't being answered, Greg fell silent and they both walked quietly to the well.

"Your wife is going to be fine," Greg said, handing him a glass of water. "She's in good hands. My parents were renowned surgeons before the world went to shit."

"She ain't my wife," was all Daryl could say.

Greg scrunched his face up for a split second at his response. Daryl caught the reaction but made no reference to it. Greg ushered Daryl to a bench where they sat.

"It's lucky I found you when I did," he stated. "I never usually go that way. I usually go west, and go the short way back. But I didn't want to come back so took a little drive."

Daryl remained silent. Conversation wasn't his strongest point, even with people he knew. He nodded. "I'm, uh… thanks."

Greg shrugged. "Ain't nothing. Others would've done the same."

"Don't know about that," Daryl muttered. "How long ya been here? What is this place?"

"My parents created this place. It's called Paradise Hope," Greg answered. As he spoke, a group of people walked past them, and Daryl noted that all the women were in different stages of pregnancy.

 _Why's all the women pregnant?_ Daryl thought just as a young woman approached them.

"You're Daryl?" she asked him, to which he nodded. She exhaled deeply. "Beth is awake and asking for you."

Daryl stood at the mention of Beth's name. He followed after the woman, and entered the infirmary. Beth was lying on the bed, tears streaming from her eyes, as she was conscious and aware of the blinding pain. As her eyes met his in the sea of strangers, she panicked then. He moved towards her, ignoring everyone around him, and went to her side.

"Daryl," she cried.

"It's okay, Beth…" Daryl soothed. "Ya gonna be okay. I found ya help."

"She's going to need surgery," Polly's voice filled his ears. He glanced up at her. "We're going to have to put her under. It will be the only way we can ensure the break will be fixed, as it's a very painful procedure."

"I'm scared, Daryl," whimpered Beth. He stroked her hair, hoping that was enough to reassure her.

"I know ya are, but they know what they're doing. Ya gonna wake up and feel so much better," Daryl reassured her. "And ya gonna be able to walk again."

Beth nodded, understanding for the first time the severity of the injury. She saw it in Daryl's eyes; the guilt, the uncertainty, the pain. The injury was something that could've been avoided, if only she had been paying attention. Her father would always warn her about straying too far away from him and she understood the dangers that could arise without her father's watchful eye. She had believed the field to be a safe place. She believed it would be okay to wander off just a little bit, and so had Daryl. He had given her permission, and though it was silent, she was appreciative for him allowing her to meander around the open field.

"I should'a listened to you," Beth whispered. "I should've stayed close to you."

Daryl shook his head. "No… none of this is ya fault. A bear trap? Neither of us knew it was there in the first place."

"The flowers were so pretty, Daryl," Beth smiled sadly. She could feel her body reacting badly to the injury. She could feel herself going into shock.

"They were," Daryl agreed. "Ya'll be able to see them again, from a distance next time."

Beth smirked painfully. Polly stepped forward, interrupting the moment.

"We can perform surgery this evening," Polly informed them.

Beth was nodding as Daryl stared down at the girl with worried eyes. Polly was looking at him for confirmation, and Beth squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"It's going to be okay," Beth whispered. "It will be, I promise."

Polly nodded. "I'll have to ask you to say goodbye… for the time being. I'll get Greg to take you to my office to wait."

It seemed as though everything was happening suddenly. Greg walked Daryl out of the infirmary. Polly and Robert were speaking with Beth about the possible outcomes of the operation. The doors closed, separating him from Beth for the first time in days and he felt waves of nausea hit him.

"She'll be okay," Greg reassured. "She looks like a fighter."

"She is," Daryl replied. Greg eyed him.

"I just have to fetch something from my truck," Greg said, changing the subject. They reached the vehicle, and Greg grabbed the duffel bag in the back.

If Daryl was in the right frame of mind, without his mind racing and travelling back worriedly to Beth, scared and alone, he would've noticed the fresh blood that stained the large tarp in the back, as well as the clump of hair and scalp that was stuck to the side of the vehicle.


	6. Above The Clouds

Author's Note: I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter - I am in complete shock that all of you enjoyed that instalment! I'm really enjoying how this is developing, and I'm so happy that so many of you are enjoying the twists. This chapter isn't as long as the others, but I quite like the small moment between Beth and Daryl. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and let me know what you think! Thank you!

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CHAPTER FIVE: ABOVE THE CLOUDS

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 _The fire ripped through her house, the childhood home that had been her safe place was being destroyed and all she could was stare as the flames licked hungrily at the air. The fear within her heart gripped tightly and she felt as though her lungs were going to cease and give up. Her eyes never tore away from the windows, where the figures of her loved ones stood, all watching out at her with blank expressions._

 _Their eyes were boring into her, and that was when she felt the burn of tears in her eyes. They were all in the house, and she couldn't do anything but stare at them. Her voice failed her in that moment, as the fire spread to the porch, and out onto the steps. It was a few inches away from her now, and her feet remained glued to the spot on the grass that she had played on for hours as a young girl, carefree and oblivious of the future ahead of her._

 _"You could stop this," they all said. Maggie, Daddy, Shawn and Jimmy. Their voices were monotone, emotionless. "You could join us."_

 _"No…" she whispered, her voice finding her in that moment. "I can stop it… I can make it stop…"_

 _"Beth…"_

 _The fire now engulfed them, hungrily immersing them with flames. She took a step backwards, her balance failing her. She fell hard to the ground, the air all but knocked out of her._

 _"Come with us," Maggie screamed._

 _Her father screamed, also. "This is your fault. You did this. You took us away. You killed us."_

 _"No… no…" Beth sobbed, her hands and feet scratching at the grass in an attempt to escape the heat that surrounded the house. It was overbearing, invasive. "It was a mistake… I didn't mean to…"_

 _"Wake up, Beth, and smell the roses, sweetie," Maggie said sarcastically. Her voice wasn't the voice of her sister._

 _"I'm trying to," Beth whispered. She blinked and jumped in shock as the figures at the windows that belonged to her family had moved. They were now on the porch, closer to her, and still on fire. They all smiled at her, beckoning her with their arms._

 _"Come, Beth," they all whispered. "We need you here."_

Beth felt her chest tighten as her lungs filled with oxygen. A bright light above her caused her eyes to snap back shut. Her throat felt rough and dry, as though she had been abandoned in the desert for weeks. Her head felt light, but her body felt heavy. She tried to move, but a hand on her shoulder prevented her from moving all that much. She tried to control her breathing, tried to escape the chains that her nightmare was holding her down with.

"I'm here, Beth," a voice so familiar vibrated through the air, piercing the bubble of dread that encased her. Safe, harmless, kind.

Daryl.

"Da-" she tried to speak but her words were incoherent.

"Don't speak," he assured her. "Ya okay."

She kept slipping back into the grasp of her nightmares, the unconscious fear that she tried so hard to steer clear from. Her mind was fuzzy, unclear and undistinguishable. Every thought, every feeling she had was a fingertip away, just out of reach, and in a place, that seemed too far away. She was tired, she understood that. Her eyes could barely open no matter how hard she tried to struggle with the mere concept of movement. Her skin felt numb, and she brought a heavy hand up to her face. It reminded her of being at the dentist, a face numb for hours at a time, until the drugs wore away and she was fine.

But she felt different. Weird, even. She wasn't sure if it was the drugs they had given her that made her feel peculiar, or if it was because she hadn't slept all that much the last couple of days and so tiredness and drugs mixed together was making her feel this way.

"Come, Beth…"

"No…" she muttered, drowsily. "You can't make me come with you…"

"Beth? Who ya talking to?" Daryl asked, tentatively touching her forehead to show her that he was there.

"Maggie… Daddy…" she murmured.

"They're not real, Beth," Daryl reassured. "Ya tired. Ya just came out of surgery, take ya time to come back."

Beth could only hear whooshing in the air around as she finally gave up the fight and allowed the chains to tighten around her and pull her back down into the depths where her nightmares waited for her.

It was sometime later that Beth opened her eyes and crisp, clear surroundings. The ceiling of the room she was in was patterned with traditional designs. A chandelier hung from the ceiling. She moved her head, heavy from sleep, and observed Daryl sat in the armchair by her bedside, his eyes focused on the porch outside. His clothing had changed; a plaid shirt now adorned his torso, his sleeves rolled up. She noticed that he looked tired, something she was noticing more and more. He preferred to stay awake, to keep watch, and she wondered if it was just a habit.

All those years of waiting for Merle to come home after a night of drinking must have become the norm. She wondered how long he had been sat there, how long she had been sleeping for.

He must've sensed her eyes on him as he redirected his watchful gaze towards her. He offered her a reassuring smile.

"Hey," he whispered. "How ya feeling?"

"Sore," she groaned.

He remained silent, still watching her.

"Where are we?"

"Paradise Hope," Daryl began. "It seems… okay."

Beth nodded. She began to push herself up, the urge to sit up overruling the need to lie down. Daryl jumped to her aid, allowing her to settle the way she needed to.

"I still have two legs?"

"The surgery went well," Daryl reassured. "We got here in time."

"Thank you," Beth whispered, grabbing Daryl's hand. He jumped at the contact. Her hand was warm, soft, and her touch was light. It was everything that Daryl had never known. "I mean it, Daryl. Thank you for helping me."

He shrugged, timidly. If it hadn't have been for Greg, Daryl knew he wouldn't be sat in the infirmary of a compound with other survivors just a stone's throw away from him, with Beth. He had run out of options, ran out of hope even. The weight of Beth's injury weighed heavily on his shoulders, but he had kept moving. She didn't deserve to die that way, she didn't deserve to die because of a freak accident. He hadn't been careful, he had believed that it was safe, though he wouldn't have known.

"I know that look," Beth's voice pulled him back down to reality. "We're here now, Daryl. That's all that matters."

Her words hung heavy in the air, but they reassured him. He needed her hope, her compassion. He had only ever known anger, guilt. She saw the good in bad situations, and it was a breath of fresh air. He simply nodded, and moved back to his chair. His backpack was slumped on the ground, and he remembered. The events of the last few hours had been mind-numbing.

"I got something for ya," he whispered. He pulled the book out of his bag and moved back towards her. He held it out for her.

 _Tess of the d'Ubervilles._

A smile spread across Beth's face, as her eyes flicked between the book and Daryl. He looked sheepish, as if all his flaws were under a spotlight and awaiting scrutiny. His kindness, his thoughtfulness, was something he didn't deal with properly. He thought of it as a flaw, a weakness.

"Thank you," whispered Beth, her voice tiny and emotional. "Would you read some to me?"

Daryl's face fell. He took a deep breath, his anxiety causing a cold shiver to run down his spine. "I can't," his voice was low. "I can't read."

Beth watched him with thoughtful eyes. She nodded, and motioned for him to pull his chair closer to her. She opened the book wordlessly, and began.

"On an evening in the latter part of May…"

As Beth's voice filled the air around him, he watched as her eyes lit up. The memories and emotion she had when reading it flashed across her face. The words came easily to her, the tone of her voice changing with each character. He couldn't help but get lost in the way she read the story. He thought back to when he was young and growing up, how his parents didn't have time to sit down with him and read a story of his choice. He would often sit with a book, one that had been passed to him from his older brother, and just stare as the words swam across the page. His brain couldn't conjure up what they said, what the meaning behind the book was, and he soon felt frustrated at not being able to understand it. He would stare at the pictures, and imagined a different story, and one that he created.

Hours stretched by, and Daryl was well and truly lost in the fictional world. Beth would occasionally glance at him and wonder if he was just being polite and listening to her because he had to. But he would nod and smile at her, and she would continue, feeling her heart swell. It was a lovely moment to share with him, and he seemed to be enjoying it. After everything they had been through together in the last couple of days, to have a calming moment where she read to him, away from fear and the threat of the dead, it was something she would remember for the rest of her life.

As the first signs of daylight panned across the darkened sky, Beth felt tiredness creep over her. Daryl felt his eyes begin to grow heavy. She cast another glance over at the hunter and saw that his eyes were closed, and his breathing was shallow. Beth folded over the page and closed the book. She laid the book gently on the bed next to her, and glanced at a sleeping Daryl before closing her eyes, dreams welcoming her almost instantly.

They were good dreams for a change, refreshing. The nightmares she was having were beginning to take their toll on her sanity. She dreamed of a garden, of magnificent flowers as tall as her welcoming her. She laid down on the soft grass and stared up at the sky, and felt nothing but peace.

A shadow passed by the window behind the armchair that held Daryl. It remained there for a moment, the figure obscured by the shade of the tree that protected its identity before it moved away and into the brightness.


	7. Flame Turns Blue

CHAPTER SEVEN: FLAME TURNS BLUE

* * *

Their routine remained quite like this over the course of a week.

The only people that encountered them were Polly and Greg. It seemed that no one else within the compound knew they were even there which suited Daryl fine. Their stay would be a short one, especially with Beth improving gradually each day. Beth had been honest with him regarding her pain and fears. It would only be a matter of time before she would have to put her weight back on it, and she wondered if her leg would be able to hold her up, and if so, would there be a difference for the rest of her life? The world now consisted of hard hitting reality and promises seemed to disappear in the wind.

"We'll do what we can," Daryl reassured. Beth picked up the change of 'you' to 'we' and she felt reassured. They were in it together, that much was certain.

Polly had visited them regularly, coming to see how Beth was doing. The wound was healing nicely and there was no sign of infection, which had been something she had worried about. A compound fracture was a serious injury, and without the amenities of a hospital and supplies, it was difficult to imagine just how Beth would heal. They spoke about Beth's fears, of whether she would be able to walk normally again, and Polly offered her the best advice she could possibly give.

"You'll be unable to put weight on your leg for a couple of weeks," Polly said, inspecting the wound. "Which is totally normal. I would suggest if you do want to get up and move around, as I know not able to makes me go a little crazy, you sit on the edge of the bed and press your foot against it. That way, you'll be able to feel the pressure on your leg without damaging it further."

Beth appreciated Polly for explaining everything she feared. Polly had a caring side to her, one that was much cherished in moments of sheer panic. She would think of her father when in her company, and remember the little things he would do.

"Now," Polly's voice turned from reassuring to abrupt. Beth was unsure of how to react. She noticed Daryl flick his gaze from the window to Polly instantly, the tone of her voice causing a stir within him. "Greg has informed me that you're not married which doesn't bode well with me, unfortunately."

"In what way?" Beth flicked her gaze to Daryl as he spoke.

Polly checked her watch. "We, as Paradise Hope, pride ourselves on unity. Survivors who arrive here vary; some married, some engaged, some single and some alone. We make them aware of the situation, of our lifestyle very early on. Some agree with it and some, however, don't. They are sent away and we never see them again."

Daryl was trying to wrap his head around her words as she spoke again.

"It's a difficult situation that you both are in," Polly explained. "Greg had found you on the road on the return from one of his outings, and your arrival here wasn't of your own accord. The main aim for Paradise Lost is to create a foundation for the future generation, and unfortunately because you are not wedded, it will become much more difficult for you."

"We ain't staying."

"That doesn't matter," Polly said. "You have to pay us back. Not in money, that means nothing anymore. Your stay here. The food we give you that could be feeding our own. The supplies we used. The gas used to bring you both here. The medicine for Beth. The water you drink. It all adds up, Mr Dixon. The work will be tough. You can decide to work longer hours in order to pay the time off, however the longer she's in this room, the hours will be added on."

Beth glanced towards Daryl sadly.

"You'll have to work for us, to pay us back for everything we have given you," she said. "However…"

Beth had kept her eyes upon Daryl, her panic rising with each word Polly muttered. She felt guilt-ridden, tormented. If she hadn't wandered off, if she had been cautious with her footing, this wouldn't be happening.

"There is another way of ensuring your bill is slashed considerably," Polly examined the look on Daryl's face, the furrowed brow. "You join us. We provide you with a house of your own, with a job for Daryl. Greg tells me you're quite handy, know your way around automobiles? With Beth's injury, you'll be here for quite a long time as you pay off her debts."

"We'll do it," Beth said, shocked that her voice was filling the air. Polly glanced at her and smiled.

"And another condition," Polly continued. "You marry each other."

"This is ridiculous," Daryl muttered.

"You may think this is ridiculous, Mr Dixon," Polly began. "But I assure you, it has to be done. I think about the livelihood of my people. Of the future generations that will thrive here."

"We can just leave now," Daryl said. "We can slip out in the darkness. No one needs to know."

"But I will."

Daryl felt frustrated. He was aware of Beth's stare upon him, but he knew if he looked at her that she would become upset. He wanted to reassure her, tell her that it wasn't her fault, but with Polly in the room, he didn't want to give Polly the satisfaction.

"How much do I have to pay ya back?"

Polly pulled a folder out of the doctor's bag she brought with her. "With the week stay in this room, of the food you've consumed, the medicine given to Beth, as well as other things, it has totalled up to just under five hundred hours."

Daryl scrunched up his face. His eyes widened and that was when he glanced over to Beth as she spoke.

"What if we join you, and do as you say and we marry, how much would it be then?"

"You would have nothing to pay back," Polly said. "You'd have a job and you would get a wage each day. That includes clothes, food, water… which doesn't seem like a bad thing."

"And what if we want to leave?" Beth asked.

"That can be discussed at another time," Polly answered, trailing off as her eyes caught movement outside. "If you'll excuse me, I'm sure you have a lot to talk about."

As Polly's presence left, the room fell into silence. Daryl kept an eye on Polly as she traipsed down the steps to the infirmary and made her way towards Greg. He was stood by his vehicle, the tarp in the back covering a heaped object in the back of the truck. He opened the window slightly, allowing their voices to filter into the room.

 _"_ _You're going out again?"_

 _"Yeah…"_

 _"You've done it again? How am I going to explain it this time?"_

 _"That's your job, mom."_

 _"They're going to ask questions. You know that. You can't keep doing this."_

 _"You've never stopped me before."_

 _"How many?"_

 _"Just one."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"You want this perfect life, mom. Not everyone wants to marry and produce children for the next generation."_

 _"We'll talk about this when you get back. Just don't be seen by anyone. Where are you heading this time?"_

 _"There's a creek, just south from here. Ten minute drive, that's all. No one will know I'm gone."_

Greg glanced over at the window at that moment, and Daryl slipped out of view and behind the curtain. He remained where he was, with Beth's eyes on him questionably.

 _"_ _Be safe, son."_

 _"I'm always safe."_

He heard an engine start from a distance and drive away. He stepped out of the shadows and moved towards Beth. He got to her side just before the door opened again revealing a dishevelled Polly. The conversation between Greg had obviously riled her up. Though she didn't know Daryl had overheard her and Greg talking about something that was obviously not of character for Greg but was kept secret from the other inhabitants was strange.

Something bad was happening, and Daryl realised then that Beth and himself were in the middle of it. Whatever it was, Daryl wasn't sure, but he understood with time, crack would begin to show. With Beth being incapacitated, there wasn't much they could do but wait until she was healed and physically moving around before they could even begin to think about leaving. She needed this place, more than anything. They didn't want to be here but Daryl knew they had to stay whether they liked it or not. He had to think of Beth, she needed him to think of her.

Daryl thought of what Polly had told them. How leaving was something they would discuss later, alarm bells began to ring in his mind. It was possible they were unable to leave when they wanted to.

"Have you considered what I've said?" Polly inquired, to which Beth nodded.

"We have," Beth said, glancing towards Daryl. Her voice shook. "We'll marry."

"Do you both agree with that?"

Daryl felt Polly's attention turn to him. He stared at her with the furrowed brow for a few moments before turning to Beth. He silently questioned her with his eyes and she offered him a small nod. He knew she was thinking of him in that moment, knowing that all the hours we would have to pay back would be hard and unnecessary.

"What Beth said," Daryl found his voice.

"Excellent," Polly said ecstatically. "I'll send over some documents for you to sign."

She made to leave the room, the atmosphere heavy and awkward now. She reached the door and turned back.

"Congratulations," Polly said. "Welcome to the family, Mr and Mrs Dixon."


	8. White Noise

CHAPTER EIGHT: WHITE NOISE

"Ya sure about this?"

"We have no other choice, Daryl," Beth explained. "I thought it was the best thing for us. She told us that the work would be hard, and I don't want to be the only one to pay all this back. I'm sorry."

Daryl shook his head. "There's no need to be sorry. Ya did what ya thought was best."

Beth looked worriedly at him. "This place seems weird."

"It does," Daryl agreed. "We'll leave before anything happens. We ain't staying here."

"Do you think they'll let us?"

"They better let us leave," Daryl warned.

Beth noticed the venom in his voice, the way his hands balled up into fists. He was thinking of what they could do, how they could leave without anyone noticing them gone. If they left in the blanket of darkness, it would be easier but there were people on guard twenty-four hours a day. They would be seen, punished. With Beth being incapacitated, it would be more difficult to leave. They could be hurt, injured even, and he couldn't live with anything else happening to Beth on his conscience. He vowed to protect Beth, and that was why they would have to bide their time. Just for a little while.

He needed to look for weaknesses. The compound being so new and fresh meant that it wasn't fixed in the ground yet. He knew there would be some bumps in the road they still faced, and he just had to figure them out.

The order to marry Beth was something he found himself struggling to comprehend. He didn't know her all that well, but they didn't know that. She was young, way younger than him, but they never questioned that. His thoughts went back to Hershel, of his silent promise that he had made when he had found Beth alone in the woods. Daryl would keep Hershel's daughter safe, no matter what. But this, was something he could not have prepared for.

He had noticed small things that seemed a little odd since their time at Paradise Hope. He hadn't voiced them with Beth yet. All the women he had seen, apart from a handful, were in various stages of pregnancy. The women would all sit around and sew clothes, cook dinner, clean the houses. The men would be building new houses, farming, hunting. Bells would ring at various parts of the day, and the inhabitants would all disappear and return when a second bell would ring an hour later. He had many questions, all of which he was sure would be answered with time.

All they had to do was wait, keep up appearances and bide their time before they left.

How long they had to wait, however, was out their hands.

Polly's promise of returning was fulfilled and she came back an hour later, documents in hand. Beth and Daryl had spent the entire hour talking about the situation they now found them. He informed her of the things he had seen, of the things he had overheard, which didn't seem to settle Beth at all. She understood he was trying to protect her from any worry. The place they were in had secrets, that much was true. They both knew they had to stick together over the next couple of days or weeks that they were under the control of Polly and whoever else oversaw the place. Abide by the rules and find out their weaknesses.

It had been planned that Beth would play the innocent card and get closer to the women of the compound. Ask the right questions, don't be too obvious, just be curious. Daryl, however, would keep his eyes on the behaviours of the inhabitants, learn the routine, find out who he could trust. The biggest task for them now was to simply play along with everyone.

"So… I have a few documents that need to be signed," Polly said, handing them to Daryl. "It basically says that you oblige to being part of Paradise Hope, as well as helping create the future generations."

Daryl felt the weight of the pen in his hand, and signed on the dotted line. The words swam in front of him. He knew this was a dangerous move, but he had no other choice. Beth signed them next, her eyes scanning the lettering carefully before signing. Beth handed the documents back.

"That's excellent," Polly exclaimed. She pulled out keys from her pocket. "These are yours. And I'll make sure Greg brings your work clothes to you this evening."

They nodded, unsure of what to say. There was nothing they could say; she was so adamant, so controlling, that they understood the less they asked, the better it would be for them.

"The wedding will commence soon. I need to talk to the minister," she explained. "I hope you're excited."

" _So_ excited," Daryl interjected.

"Now, once you're married, there's things to be expected from both of you," she said. "Which I'm sure you both know what I'm talking about."

Daryl narrowed his gaze at her. Beth nodded, anxiously. "We understand," her voice was low.

"Okay, good," Polly said. "I'll leave you both alone. The house will be ready within a day or so. Have a good evening."

She left without another word. Daryl turned to Beth, his eyebrow furrowed. "What did she mean?"

"Once we're married, we must, I'm guessing, start trying for a family," Beth whispered. Daryl sat in the armchair, almost defeated. He glanced at Beth awkwardly. "But we're not going to, Daryl. We can just pretend to have done the deed."

Daryl nodded. The entire situation made him on edge. The people of Paradise Hope were delusional, and he wondered just how many more settlements were doing this kind of thing. The future generation, the golden youth after the unfathomable demise of the old world. They spent most of the evening in silence. When the silence became too heavy, Beth had picked up the book again and motioned it towards Daryl. He had nodded, settled in the armchair and listened as she started from where they had stopped the night before.

As the story deepened so did his worry. His mind kept trailing off, and his mind seemed to berate him. Of all places to seek refuge in, they had stumbled across this place. As Beth's breathing became shallow and her eyes closed, he moved to take the book from her soft grasp. He folded over the top of the page, closed the book and laid it upon the bedside table.

He returned to the armchair, but found that he was fidgeting with nerves. He felt claustrophobic. He felt captive. He grabbed his crossbow, made sure he was silent, and made for the door. Beth was safe. He closed the door behind him gently. He needed to burn off some energy – and anxiety. He found himself walking around the compound, all eyes on him as soon as he was out in the open.

A guard came over to him. "What you doing?"

"I'm going for a walk, that okay?" Daryl asked, making sure his voice was soft and less abrupt. The guard nodded.

"Don't be out too long," the guard said.

Daryl nodded and made a start to leave. He began slow, his eyes searching his surroundings. The sun was slowly setting, and there was enough light for him to find his way. Everything seemed normal; nothing out of the ordinary. The men were finishing off their work for the day, and the women were clearing away dinner. They nodded at him, acknowledging his newfound presence within the established community. He nodded back, never stopping to make conversation.

He was keeping an eye out on the high wooden walls that had been built around them. They were sturdy, durable. Kept the dead out and the residents in. The urge to be outside and behind the walls was high, and he struggled with the fact that he couldn't just go out into the woods for a few hours. It was out of his hands and he hated it. He despised not being able to be in control of his own movements. The guards kept a watchful eye on him and he noticed when their attention was on him, he could feel the burn of their gaze on his back. He had never felt so aware of his movements.

He came to an area that caused the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The wooden walls, the protective barrier seemed to lessen and metal fencing was in place instead. He went over to it, curiously.

"I wouldn't stand too close to that," a voice came from behind him.

Daryl turned quickly, his eyes falling on the person. Robert stood there, hands in his pockets, watching Daryl with inquisitive eyes.

"It's an electric fence," Robert continued. "You'd be surprised how many of the dead come to this place. Doesn't help that we have bells ringing nearly every god-damn hour. You'd be surprised at how many living people touch that thing."

Daryl kept his face void of emotion. He was unsettled but he wasn't going to show Robert just how much.

"The mess it makes," Robert grimaced. "What are you doing out here?"

"Needed a walk," Daryl answered. "Stretch my legs."

Robert nodded. "You don't want to leave Beth alone for too long. You don't know what kind of monsters hide in the shadows of this place."

Daryl's heart began to race. "What do you mean?"

Robert shrugged. "It was nice talking with you, Mr Dixon. Have a good night."

Robert disappeared into a house, leaving Daryl to stare ahead. He rushed back to the infirmary, his legs and feet bounding against the ground. The threat hung heavy in the air, and he wondered just what Robert had meant. Was it a warning? Was it a threat? Was it both?

As he reached the infirmary, and threw the door open to the room that contained Beth, his heart leapt up to his throat. Beth had woken to the door open abruptly and the handle bouncing against the wall.

"Daryl, what's wrong?" Beth asked, watching as Daryl checked the room. He checked the windows. They were locked. Nothing seemed to be disturbed. He moved over to Beth.

"Are ya okay?" he asked, reaching for her. As his fingertips grazed against the soft skin of her arm, he recoiled, as if he had been burned.

"I'm fine," Beth replied, breathlessly. "Daryl, you're scaring me… what happened?"

She had noticed the look of worry on his face. She had noticed how he had reached for her. She had noticed that he had flinched when he realised what he was doing.

"This place…" Daryl began. "I'm not leaving ya again, I promise."

Beth wondered what had happened to make Daryl to react in such a way. She observed the way he checked the windows again, finding nothing out of the unusual. He locked the door to the room they were in, his gaze never wavering from it.

"Daryl…" Beth's voice filled the silence, hours later. "What happened?"

"I met Robert," he began. "He said something about not leaving ya, that there's danger hidden in the shadows."

Beth's face fell. Her eyes filled with tears of worry. Daryl noticed the sadness upon her face.

"But I ain't gonna let anything happen to ya," Daryl reassured, his voice shaking with worry and anger. "I'm gonna take ya away from this place. Take ya somewhere safe."

Beth nodded, knowing that Daryl meant every single word.

However, a new arrival the next morning brought their plans of leaving to a crashing halt.


	9. A Closeness

CHAPTER NINE: A CLOSENESS

The world had grown colder in the days after the loss of the farm. Everything they had done had been because they needed to survive. They had to do things they had promised themselves they would never do. They would never hurt other people. But they had, and blood had been shed in the name of protecting their own. They viewed the world differently now. There was bitterness for the world now.

The farm had protected them, had given them another reason to hold onto that hope just a little longer. With the farm being so far away from the city, they had believed to be safe, and away from any danger. They had a few walkers stumble across their path but not enough to warrant leaving. They were manageable, especially with the newcomers who had joined the farm. They had showed their worth to them, had taken them under their wing knowing that they hadn't had to deal with any of the dead.

But the farm had been her home for many years. And it pained her to see it being destroyed right there in front of her eyes.

They had walked for hours, days even. It never occurred to her just how much she had lost until she was sat in the darkness. She had been numb to the entire thing, her mind protecting her from the true devastation of losing her childhood home as well as having her father and sister be missing and potentially dead.

Maggie would sit in the darkness of the house they had found, her eyes burning with tiredness, her body aching from running and walking for days. The hours of moving had added up, and her mind and body were exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to rest her head and just sleep, but her body, though exhausted, was on edge. Every sound and movement caused her to jump out of her skin. Glenn had been there to reassure her, though it wasn't the same.

She understood he meant well, telling her everything she wanted to hear. But she needed to know if her father and baby sister were still alive and had made it out. To not know was slowly killing her.

All chemistry between herself and Glenn had fizzled for the time being after everything that had happened that fateful night. Her attraction to him had been intense, just as his was with her. But they had both acknowledged that they needed to think about finding their family and friends. It was important to have a clear head and so they had shut it off, respecting each other's boundaries in a difficult time. Glenn wanted nothing more but to wrap his arms around Maggie and tell her that everything would work out, that her family would be fine, but when it came down to it, they didn't know each other that well.

Their attraction was the lead to their relationship, and even then, it wasn't a real relationship. Maggie, since the outbreak destroyed everything around her, had become numbed to the world, and Glenn had been the first thing to make her feel anything. He stirred something within her. She had grown to care about him after a while, though it was something she never spoke to him about it. She often wondered how he felt about her, and she understood that he cared about her too from the way he would look at her with fire in his eyes.

But all that had changed. They protected each other now. They walked side by side in silence as they made sure to get enough distance between them and the dead. They took turns to keep watch. They found a routine.

The house offered them protection which at that moment they needed. The longer they stayed outside with nothing but emptiness surrounding them made them feel unsafe, out in the open, and extremely vulnerable. The house had four walls, locks and cupboards full of tins of food. They found themselves opening up about a lot of things, how this could not be the end of everything. There had to be something out there, a reason as to why the world became so damaged so quickly. They would talk about when they would find the others – their friends and family – and how they would hold them just a little tighter.

Maggie told stories about her family, as memories swarmed her vulnerable mind. She would laugh, she would cry, but she savoured the moments she would be able to remember forever. She told him about her job, how she had recently graduated and was on her first day at work when a child had complained of a fever, to which she had then sent him to the school nurse, who had been ripped apart not even an hour later. She told Glenn about how she had stared at the body of the dying nurse, how her eyes stared back at her, then she had died. She had only ever seen one person die in her life and that had been her mother. Even now, a year after her death, the image of her still mother burned in her mind. Her mother hadn't woken up again, no matter how much Maggie begged and pleaded for her to.

But the nurse had started breathing again. Raspy, shallow breaths filled the air around them amongst the screams of young children as they ran for safety. The body had begun to twitch and jerk. Her eyes had sprung open, and she had tried to claw herself towards Maggie. Maggie had stood frozen, believing her mind was playing tricks on her. However, it wasn't. She had raced home as fast as she could, and was immediately welcomed by her father's arms.

Glenn had opened up, too. He told her about his upbringing, his job as a pizza delivery boy, and how he had wanted to be an artist but lacked confidence in himself. He was an only child, but had always wanted siblings to play with and confide in. He loved travelling, but could never afford to get out of Georgia.

They had found out they were quite similar, liking the same shows and movies. They would speak for hours and never face an awkward silence.

"We'll find them," Glenn's voice was low. "Hershel… Beth… they're still out there, I just know."

Maggie watched him for a moment. She hadn't cried over them, not giving into what her mind obviously wanted her to do. Crying meant she was scared, unsure, and she wouldn't give her emotions the satisfaction. She had to keep positive in a world full of negatives.

"I know I will," Maggie nodded. She thought about Beth; her innocence in a world full of evil and her heart dropped. She wondered if Beth was alone, if she had found Hershel, if she had found someone from Glenn's group. She would be petrified, and Maggie couldn't do anything to get to her.

They finished eating, their stomach's still growling. Their appetite had disappeared, and even though they still ate, they could only manage one can between the both of them.

It was Glenn's watch, and Maggie settled down to sleep. She knew that it would evade her no matter how much she tried to get her mind to rest. She could never stop her mind trailing back to Beth. Was Beth okay? Had she made it out? She had been close to the house when the fire had begun. She had rushed outside to help the group from the horde of dead that stumbled upon the land. The last time she had seen Beth was when Maggie had glanced back and saw her blonde hair on the porch. She scolded herself for not protecting Beth, but she also understood that it wasn't her fault that she couldn't get to her.

It was a few hours later and sleep still seemed to avoid Maggie at all costs.

"I'll take over," she said, sitting up. Glenn glanced at her and narrowed his gaze at her.

"I'm alright," he replied. "You go back to sleep."

"I can't sleep."

"You should've said," Glenn said. "I would've helped you fall asleep by telling you stories about myself."

"I think that would be hard," she replied. "I find you interesting."

"Interestingly hot? Or interestingly interest?"

"Both," Maggie smirked. She watched as the moonlight gave her enough light to see a red blush stain his face.

She liked that she could make him blush.

Maggie stood and stretched. Walking for days had caused all her joints to stiffen. She was sore, exhausted and shocked. She knew those feelings would go away as soon as her family were back in her arms but she had to think about how she would cope if she never found them again. It was a possibility that she would never find them again, which broke her heart into a thousand pieces. Her family were her everything and without them, she wasn't herself.

Glenn never spoke about his family, about where they were when the outbreak hit. She wondered if he would ever speak about them, or whether it was best for him to not talk about. It was a painful situation to approach knowing that every single person still alive had lost their loved ones. Some had to watch their parents die, some had to even kill their parents when they turned. Maggie closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

"Make love to me," she whispered, her eyes remaining close. She opened them after a moment, thankful for the blanket of darkness that protected her from his view. He stared into the darkness, at where her voice had come from but his gaze not entirely on her. He furrowed his brows, swallowing nervously. He rubbed his neck anxiously. "I need to feel something."

He had closed the gap between them as soon as her voice faded into the darkness. A small laugh escaped her as he tried to find her in the dark, and she reached for him, guiding him closer to her. She brought his hand to her face where she kissed his hand. His fingers stroked her cheek before he gently moved in where he brushed his lips against hers.

Her body felt as though it was made of nothing but electricity. Every touch, every kiss, was enough to send her over the edge. He was careful, loving and innocent. She had been with other guys before but never with someone so kind and considerate, and so aware of her movements, her breathing, her moans.

He made her feel alive.


	10. Motionless

CHAPTER TEN: MOTIONLESS

Bells rang early the next morning. Daryl jolted awake, reaching for his crossbow that never strayed too far away. Beth was roused from a gentle sleep; the exhaustion of not having full mobility was something she was struggling with. The ability to turn in the night had been taken away from her, and so she was stuck in the same position for hours until Daryl would wake and help her position herself better. She relied on him a lot more than she ever thought she would. And he helped her without another word.

She had dozed off in the early hours, the throbbing of her leg waking her up every hour on the dot. She was beginning to believe it knew when to ache. The medication she had received had helped but due to the supply being limited to everyone, Beth understood that she had to rely on time as her healer. She couldn't rely on medication, choosing to save it for when she truly needed it rather than taking it for the sake of taking it. Daryl would ensure that her pain wasn't unbearable, and Beth would reassure him that it was manageable, usually through gritted teeth. She didn't want to worry him, especially after everything that had happened between them.

As she sat up in bed with the help of Daryl, he offered her a small nod. She nodded, knowing that was something he did when he couldn't find his voice. She completely understood, it was different to be around people. She got it. She enjoyed the silence sometimes, just the both of them wholly comfortable in each other's company without the need for conversation. It was just nice being in the same room as him. She had learned during their short time together that conversation was something he found uncomfortable but had started to open up to her, which for Beth was an amazing thing. She loved learning about what made him who he was, and though some parts were quite tough to hear, she was grateful for him for being relaxed enough around her to talk to her about things so hard to talk about. His past and childhood wasn't common knowledge to anyone, and it had been something she had found difficult to comprehend that a man so gently spoken and cautious had gone through that turmoil.

A mother dying young in a fire. A broken home. An abusive and alcoholic father. A brother who escaped. The loneliness.

She could never relate to any of that but she hoped that he understood that none of that defined him as the person he was today.

He was Daryl Dixon. Survivor, hunter, and a good person in a world full of bad.

And that meant something.

"What time is it?" Beth's voice was croaky with tiredness. She watched as Daryl moved from her bedside to open the curtain ajar to look in the direction of the bells. He noticed there was a horde of people standing around, their attention upon the tall entrance. He moved to try and capture a glimpse but was unable to. He glanced at the watch on his arm.

"A little after six," Daryl answered, his gaze moving back towards the large group of people.

"Why are the bells ringing? I've not heard them before."

Beth was right. He could distinguish the different types of bells ringing as they all signified different things. Breakfast, work, lunch, work, dinner, bed. They were all different but this one was one he hadn't heard before. It obviously meant something as the amount of people that had been beckoned was astonishing.

"I don't know," Daryl replied. "It's brought an audience, that's for sure."

Beth moved slowly, aware of Daryl's attention being elsewhere. She brought her legs round slowly so that they were dangling off the bed. With her arm strength, she inched closer to the edge of the bed with her bottom, until all her weight rested upon her good leg. Her balance was unsteady but it felt good to feel the world beneath her feet. She took a deep breath, grateful that Daryl's attention was still focused on the group outside to notice that she was out of bed, and placed her foot on the floor. She was afraid of adding pressure, knowing that her leg could potentially give out if her weight was equalled out.

Being confined to a bed was brutal. The urge to get up and move about was at an almighty high, and she was beginning to fidget. All she wanted to do was just stand, feel the ground beneath her feet, and she would be happy. The surgery had gone well, and so she understood she needed to beginning moving around. She had tested herself, moving her ankle around to see how her leg could handle the action. There was a grumble of pain but it was manageable.

It was almost as if Daryl sensed her movement behind him as he turned at looked at her. Just as his gaze fell on her standing, her leg buckled beneath her gently. It was enough for Daryl to rush over to her and reach for her just in case she fell to the ground.

He made no comment about why she was out of bed. He gave her a look to ask her if she was okay, to which she nodded. He didn't force her back into bed but rather stood in front of her, his hands protectively shielding her elbows as her hands gripped his elbow crease.

Gradually, Beth added pressure onto her leg. The solidness of Daryl was enough to give her confidence. If she fell or her leg buckled again, he would be there to make sure she didn't injure herself further. She didn't realise just how exhausting it was.

"Ya wanna stop?" Daryl asked. Beth shook her head.

"I'm fine," Beth smiled.

Daryl understood her readiness to move around again. The compound they were at was dangerous, and he didn't like the feeling of being kept inside the wall against his will. Leaving was something they needed to do and he understood Beth's determination to get back on her feet. Even though it was a small result, the fact she could stand assisted, was something to be proud of. He could see the happiness in her face, the shine of her eyes as silent tears filled them.

She had been worried that she wouldn't be able to stand again. She knew walking would come with time, but at the back of her mind, she wondered just how long she had until it was truly time for them to leave. The worry in Daryl's eyes the night before was enough for her to realise the severity of the entire situation they found themselves in.

"Ya doing great," Daryl spoke gently, reassuring her.

"I want to try and walk," Beth whispered. Daryl thought for a moment before he nodded.

He allowed her to guide him backwards as she took a step forward. It appeared it was all too much as she retracted her step with a tearful sigh and a shake of the head. The pain was too much for her to handle. Daryl was taken aback as she closed the small gap between them as she wrapped her arms around his middle, the dampness of her tears seeping through the fabric of his shirt. It was a moment before he followed suit and wrapped his arms around her shoulders comfortingly.

"It's okay," he whispered.

Beth nodded into his chest. He allowed her to hold him for a few moments before she released him. He helped her back towards the bed where he helped to lift her onto the mattress.

"Ya didn't think ya could stand but ya did," Daryl said reassuringly. "That's something, ain't it?"

"I want us to get out of here," Beth sobbed gently. Daryl nodded.

"I know," he whispered. "And we will. Ya just need some time to heal."

"I'm scared, Daryl."

It was the first time she voiced her worry to him. He stood there and was silent for a moment, his gaze upon her. She was his main priority, and he had to consider her safety when they tried to leave. It was a tough situation to be in. If Merle was there with them, he knew he would follow whatever his brother told him to do. And he knew that if Merle told him to leave Beth behind, he would've done. But it was different now. Beth relied on him, and he relied on Beth in ways he couldn't explain.

She gave him hope. She gave him the strength he needed. It was way more than what Merle had ever given him and he only truly knew her for a week or so. He understood he would never leave anywhere without her. There was a mutual respect between them.

Beth knew he could've bailed. But he was there. He would never leave her behind.

His mind raced. But his promise of leaving that evening whether Polly liked it or not would never be voiced for there was a knock at the door. A familiar one that now sent shivers down his and Beth's spines. Polly entered without a second knock, and Daryl moved to where Beth was.

They noticed that she wasn't alone, for there were two figures with her. As they entered the room, Daryl's gaze settled upon them with a furrowed brow. It appeared as though leaving would be much harder than first anticipated. Not only did he have to consider taking Beth away from this place, he had to consider the innocent familiar faces that seemed to believe this place was a sanctuary that welcomed everyone.

As Carol and Andrea stood in front of him, he turned to look at Beth. She was staring at them with the same expression that they had on their faces. They were in complete and utter shock as they recognised each other. Though they had all spent time with each other, there had been no communication between them all. But being there in the room at that moment in time, it was as if nothing needed to be said for the long lost connection spoke a thousand words.


	11. Ceasefire

CHAPTER TEN: CEASEFIRE

The arrival of Carol and Andrea had sent shockwaves down Daryl's spine, unsettling him even more. The seriousness of the situation was something that he couldn't quite comprehend, and the worry of having to ensure their safety as well as Beth's and his own was only increasing his anxiety. He watched as Polly moved towards the window and glanced out of it for a moment. He remained as still as he could, his watchful gaze focused on her completely.

He turned back to the two new arrivals and noticed that Beth was mouthing something to them. _Pretend you don't know us_. Daryl felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, his entire demeanour fighting to keep calm. Polly turned then and made her way back.

"Those horses have gotten out _again_ ," she said, a hint of anger coating her voice. "Anyway, meet our new guests. Carol and Andrea! They will be taking your place here."

"Where are we going?" Beth asked, confusion settling on her brow.

"We have a house ready for you," Polly exclaimed despite being met with silence. "It's so exciting!"

The twosome remained silent, as they felt the burn of the new arrival's gaze upon them.

"I'll leave the both of you to gather your stuff," Polly continued, before turning to Carol and Andrea. "We'll check the both of you out in a short moment. But please, please make yourself at home here."

As Polly left the room, she sighed with happiness. She had spent so long wanting to build the sanctuary she had envisioned in her dreams, that to see it take shape and thrive in the world as it was now was an incredible feeling. She felt so much pride at knowing that the community was growing, and the next generation was beginning. She understood their ways of doing things were different, but they were for the best: to bring children into the world in a household full of love was the ideal situation.

As the door shut, separating them from the community outside, Andrea threw a furrowed brow at Daryl and Beth.

"What the hell is happening? Who are these people?" she questioned. "What does she mean you both have a house? What the hell happened to your leg?"

Beth looked at Daryl worriedly.

"Beth got her leg trapped in a bear trap," he began, his voice low. "We found a man on the road who brought us here."

"It seemed fine, perfect even, for the first couple of days, but…" Beth said, glancing at Daryl once more. "They told us in order for us to stay here and for myself to keep receiving medical attention, we have to marry."

Andrea, confused, ran her hand through her blonde hair. "Are you serious? Can't you leave?"

"There's eyes everywhere," Daryl said. "People watchin' us all the time."

"Polly said we would have to pay them back if we didn't decide to marry," Beth explained further. "She mentioned something about five hundred hours."

"That's insane," Carol interjected. "There's got to be a way out of this."

"We don't know what," Beth whispered, tearfully. "I don't want them to hurt Daryl."

"And they won't, honey," Carol reassured, moving to the young girl's side. Andrea remained close to Daryl.

"They took my weapons off me," Andrea muttered, as Carol reassured the young girl. Daryl nodded.

"They took most of mine, except this," Daryl said, motioning towards his crossbow.

"You worried?" Andrea asked, to which Daryl shrugged.

"I'm only worried for Beth," Daryl said, his voice low. "If her injury was better, I'd carry her out of here myself. But there's eyes everywhere. People are always on guard, asking questions, coming in here, like they're checking up on us and making sure we ain't doing anything shifty."

"You think they're dangerous?"

"No doubt about it," he growled. "There's one guy. Greg. He's… strange."

"He picked us up," Andrea replied. "He was over friendly, that's for sure. Do you think we bide our time and wait for the right time to leave, or do you think we should force our way out and get as far away from this place as possible?"

"Don't think they'd like that," Daryl whispered. "The way Beth is… it's gonna be difficult to get her outta here."

"Leave it to me," Andrea reassured. "I'll check it out. I trust your gut, Daryl. But…"

"Ya think I'm lyin'?" Daryl asked, his face hardening.

"That's not what I'm saying," Andrea said, her voice softening in hopes of reassuring him. "I just want to get a feel of this place for myself."

"Suit yaself," Daryl huffed, moving back towards Beth protectively. The young girl offered him a reassuring smile, which Andrea caught, and she furrowed her brow at them both.

"What happened to you both after the farm?" Carol asked, oblivious to Andrea's curiosity.

"We kept walking," Beth pitched in. "We were with Merle for a short while, but he left."

"How come?" Carol asked.

Daryl shrugged. "Ya know Merle. Like piss in the wind."

The three women stifled a giggle. The short amount of time in which Merle had been in their lives, they had seen the hurricane that would stir up around him. He was full of anger, bitterness and hatred to the world and those left in it which was why a lot of the group kept away from him.

Daryl's relationship with Merle had always been strained to say the least, with them both dealing with their own demons. Their childhood had been tough with daily abuse from their alcoholic father and neglect from their mother. When their mother died, it only caused their father to increase his alcohol intake and his beating worsened. Merle abandoned the family unit as soon as his eighteenth birthday rolled around, and he left for the army soon after, and in turn left Daryl behind to take both beatings.

Daryl could never rely on Merle. He was a lone wolf through and through and struggled to have Merle in his company. Merle was a free agent and always had been. It was strange whenever Merle stuck around for longer than a few days, so him leaving again didn't cause Daryl any worry.

 _"You know nothing! You come and go whenever you want! Where is your support in this place?"_

The sound of Polly's raised voice filled their silence around them. Daryl along with Carol and Andrea moved towards the window, curiosity grabbing their attention.

 _"I never wanted to be part of this place! I can't stop doing what I do, and neither can you!"_

 _"You keep doing what you're doing, and… I…"_

 _"You'll what, mother?"_

 _"I'll have to stop you myself!"_

 _"You could never stop me before. You can't stop me now. Got that?"_

The three of them moved away from the window as the voices strayed. Hushed tones could still be heard moving around the building, which caused them all to disperse back to their original positions; and Daryl watched the windows around the building as Greg walked past, his own attention taken by those in the room. As Daryl watched him move away from the building and into the vehicle that had picked them up that night, he felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Will ya stay with Beth?" he asked the two women to which Carol nodded. Andrea furrowed her brow.

"What are you doing, Daryl?" she asked with a sharpness to her voice.

Daryl knew he couldn't lie to save his life, but he could most definitely obscure the truth. "I need to hunt… I need to be out there and not sat around here with all eyes on me."

"What do we say to them if they ask about where you are?" Andrea asked, her voice panicked.

Daryl shrugged. "Just tell them I've gone for a piss… should be back before they question where I've gone."

"Be careful please, Daryl," Beth whispered, and Daryl turned to her and gave her a short nod.

As Daryl made a start to leave, Andrea called him towards her, away from Beth and Carol. The two women were talking about Beth's injury, their attention diverted away from them. Andrea was silent for a moment, almost hesitant to share her fears with Daryl knowing that as soon as she shared them with someone else that it confirmed her deepest worries.

"This place… you really feel it's a bad place? After everything that we've been through, this isn't a place to call home for a little while?" Andrea asked him, to which he confirmed her worries. She had felt it too, but she knew she had to have hope when it came to new places. The quarry had been home for the months after the outbreak and everything had been going well, but life would always throw a curveball no matter how settled and how good something could be. The quarry had become overrun, and her sister had paid the ultimate price for trusting a place could protect them. The farm had been an accidental find with Carl needing urgent medical care after getting shot, and it took them a while to truly familiarise with the knowledge that they were safe. For how long, they couldn't answer that.

But just like life being as unpredictable as ever, the farm had been taken away from them a few short months after arriving to find a peaceful abode that quickly became home to them all. And now… it seemed that their trust when it came to new places was at almighty low, and Andrea wasn't sure if it was because of all they had seen and experienced that made them wary of new places, especially when they didn't fit with the norm.

The norm now was to be welcomed with hostility but a major red flag for them was how quickly they were accepted into this new group. Sure, their weapons were taken away, but they weren't taken away without a fight.

"This ain't a home," Daryl whispered. "This is a cult…"

Andrea nodded, "I agree. But I don't think we should go out all guns blazing just yet. Let's… get a feel of this place, let Beth get medical care and then we can leave."

"It ain't gonna be easy leavin' this place," Daryl whispered. "It's gonna be tough getting ya'll out."

"I'm capable of handling myself, Daryl," Andrea said, her voice becoming stern. "I'm not some little girl who can't look after herself. I can handle myself, and so can Carol. We're a team now."

Daryl nodded just as a knock sounded on the door. He moved past Andrea and pulled it open.

Polly stepped inside smiling broadly. "Your house is ready."


End file.
